But this a new England, they say. A young team with smiles on their faces and a spring in their step and the belief that it doesn’t always have to be the way it has always been.

And this England does not lose on penalties. At least it did not on Tuesday night, outlasting a game and rugged Colombia, 4-3, in a shootout after the teams played to a 1-1 tie.

Midfielder Eric Dier delivered the final blow, slamming his attempt into the lower left corner under goalkeeper David Ospina after Colombia’s final two attempts stayed out. England’s goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford, had set the stage by pawing away Carlos Bacca’s fifth attempt for Colombia with a dive to his right.
Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford and Kieran Trippier also converted for England in the shootout, sparing Jordan Henderson — the captain — from a lifetime of ignominy after his penalty was saved by Ospina.

The result came so quickly — a miss, then a make — and was in many ways so unexpected given its history that England did not seem to know what to do. Dier peeled off to his right, eventually collapsing under a pile of teammates. Trippier seemed caught in some in-between, jumping in place next to the dogpile as the England reserves raced past him to dive on the dogpile.

They can collect themselves when they’re ready. The next target is Saturday, when England has an unlikely date with Sweden in Samara.